Spaceband tool



G. L. CURLE SPACE BAND TOOL Jan. 22, 1952 Filed May 3, 1948 Ma 2 fw M,

Patented Jan. 22, 1952 ED STA ES PA ENT 2583,32 V

sBAoEeANo'roo GeorgeLCufia Minneapolis, Minn ApplicationMa r a, 1948-, sri N zesw 1 Claim. 1 My present invention relates to a novel tool forplacing space bands in the space. band box of a linotype machine or inremovingv the. same.

therefrom.

It is well known that it is a difficult operation, for theaverageperson, toplace. space bands in the space band box. of a. linotype machine or to remove the same therefrom, due to the narrow width ofsaid box and its inconvenient. position in the linotypemachine.Fu'rthermore due' to' the longitudinal taper. of. spaceb'andsfaTconsiderable. amount; of gripping pressure. isrequired spacebands will bev squeezed outandithe" entire lot spilled, or if too littleressure is iapplied', the

same thing will happen;

The object of this invention is to provide a novel tool for holdingaplu'rality of space bands in, assembled relation with a' clampingaction while placing the same in a space bandfboxor.

while removing, the same therefrom;

To the above end, theinvention consists of' the novel construction andarrangement hereinafter described and defined in. the claim".

' In the accompanying drawingwhich illustrates the invention,likecharacters'indicate like partsthroughout the severalviews.

Referring to the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a View partly in elevation and partly in central longitudinalsection, of the transverse channel and the space band box of a linotypeand also showing the improved tool holding a plurality of space bands insaid box;

Fig. 2 isan elevational view. of -the improvad tool;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view o f theptool taken on the line 3-'-3"of Fig.2 and'an elevational 'vi'ewof a space band held by the tool; and

Figs. 4 and 5 are detail views in section taken on the lines 4-4 and 5-5of Fig. 2, respectively.

For the purpose of showing the improved tool 6 as used in handling spacebands, there is shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing, the transfer channel Iand the space band box 8 of a linotype machine. A portion of thetransfer channel I is broken away and the space band box is shown incentral longitudinal section. Matrices are delivered into the transversechannel I from the first elevator, not shown. Space bands are placed inthe space band box 8 and successively released therefrom by anescapement 9, partially shown, into a spout suspended by theirears. [5from the. forwardly,

and downwardly inclinedupper. edges-8 eof the side 3 of saidboxforslidine; movement toward the escapement 9 and; with. theirv lowerends spaced above the bottom Sk-ofthaspaceband box 8. Theoutermostspacehand H, atitslower end portion, engages. the inner member,I flaof the spout ID as a stop. Duringtheoperation'oi the escapement 9,it lifts the outermost space; bandit out of engagement withtheispoutmember Ill"- and then releases the. same-into the spou t Illwhere it is conveyed tothe assembler.

and tapered to feather endseat theirupperenda The parts thus farvdescribed are-all of standard and well knownconstruction and havebeenillustrated simply to show theuseiotmy improved space band tool.

Referring now indetail to .the space band toel B, the sameincludesa.bpdmmember lfi which is formed of a singlefflat-bar,one.end.portionofwhich affords a. handlev I I. Thetool 6, when in anoperativeposition, is held edgewise in' avertical plane and it maybelassumedtogbe in this" position when hereinafterreferred to; Theopposite end portion. of the bodymember; I c, fromthe handle ii, is.curved downwardly-, as indicated at l8,-and theunder. edgethereoiaffords. acam IQ, for arpurpose which will presentlyappear. Integralwith the curved. section lB'of the body member 16 is aforwardly-extended space band carrier 26, thegunder edge ofj which isacontinuation of. the icam l9 v This carrier. 20 is.

considerably narrower than the body member l6 and integral with theouter end thereof is an upstanding fixed jaw 21. On the inner end of thecarrier 20, in opposing relation to the jaw 2|, is a stop shoulder 22.The edge portion of the carrier 2!] between the jaw 2| and the stopshoulder 22 is straight and parallel to the upper edge of the bodymember [6 except at its forward end portion which is forwardly anddownwardly inclined to the jaw 2| as indicated at 20'.

A movable jaw 23 is slidably mounted on the body member l6 forco-operation with the fixed jaw 2|. The movable jaw 23 is a channelmember through which the body member l6 extends. The side members 24 ofthe movable jaw 23 are Thespace bands II at their lower,endstarerelativelythick of substantially the same width as the body member l6and have therein opposing longitudinal slots 25.

The slots 25 are on the arcs of circles havin a common center and radiiof substantially the same length as a radius extending from the lowerend of one of the space bands H in the space band box 8 to a center atthe intersection of the extension of the outer faces of the twooutermost space bands H in said box. This, of course, is onlyapproximate as the number of space bands H in the space band box 8 varyfrom time to time. Secured in the body member I6 is a transverse pin 26,the end portions of which extend into the slots 25 and hold the bodymember l6 and the movable jaw 23 in assembled relation. These slots 25and the pin 26 limit the sliding movement of the movable jaw 23 relativeto the fixed jaw 2| and also permit tilting of the movable jaw 23produced by the engagement of the bottom member of said jaw with the camIS.

The right-hand side member 24 of the movable jaw 2|, at its upper rearcorner, is upwardly extended and laterally offset to afford a thumbpiece28. A hand 2|] is shown in Fig. 1 holding the tool 6 with the thumb 20pressed against the thumb-piece 23 to hold the movable jaw in engagementwith the innermost space band and with the group of space bands clampedbetween the two jaws 2| and 23. The purpose cf the inclined surface 20at the fixed jaw 2| is to facilitate the transfer of the outermost spaceband II to the escapement 9.

To place a plurality of the space bands H in the space band box 8. thefixed jaw 2| and the carrier 20 are inserted through the aligned slots|3 in the space bands in a tray. Next. the operator places the thumb bof his hand against the thumb-piece 28 and slides the movable jaw 23relative to the body member i6, into engagement with the innermost spaceband Durin this movement of the movable jaw 23, the engagement thereofwith the cam l9 tilts the same downwardly so that its outer end is inflat engagement with the adjacent space band so that opposing pressureis applied by the jaws 2| and 23 to the space bands therebetween. Whilethe space bands II are still held by the jaws 2| and 23, the operatorpositions the tool 6 longitudinally over the opentops of the transversechannel I and the space band box 8 and lowers said tool to position thespace bands II in the transfer channel I and the space band box 8, andthus moves the tool endwise forwardly until stopped by the engagement ofthe fixed jaw 2| with the closed front end of the space band box 8 andwith the shafts |2 resting on the bot tom 8 of said box. Finally, theoperator releases the movable jaw 23 by removing his thumb from thethumb-piece 28 and lowers the outer end portion of the tool 6 until thefixed jaw 2| is free to be withdrawn through the slots I3 by a rearwardendwise movement of the tool 6.

To remove space bands II from the space band box 8, the operator insertsthe tool 6 into the space band box 8 and projects the carrier 20 andfixed jaw 2| through the slots l3 and then lifts the outer end portionof the tool 6 to bring said jaw into engagement with the outermost spaceband Next, the operator places his thumb against the thumb-piece 28 andpresses the movable jaw 23 forwardly to clamp the space bands betweenthe jaws 2| and 23, and finally he lifts the tool 6 to withdraw thespace bands [I from the space band box 8.

From the above description, it is evident that a plurality of spacebands |l may be quickly and easily placed in a space band box or removedtherefrom.

From what has been said, it will be understood that the tool describedis capable of modifications as to details of construction andarrangement within the scope of the invention herein disclosed andclaimed.

What I claim is:

A tool of the class described formed of a long, thin bar that isflatwise in a vertical plane, one end portion of the bar affording arelatively lOIlg handle and the other end portion thereof affording arelatively short space band carrier, the upper edge of which issubstantially parallel to the upper edge of the handle but spacedmaterially below the same, the upper edge of the inner endfportion ofthe handle being inclined to the upper edge of the space band carrier,said spaceban'd carrier having on its outer end an upstanding fixed jaw,a long movable jaw for cooperation with the fixed jaw in the form of anarrow channel through which the bar extends endwise with the bottom ofthe channel at its outer end engaging the lower edge of the bar as aguide, said movable jaw having in its sides longitudinally extendedslots, and a pin intermediately secured to the bar with its end portionsextending into said slots and holding the movable jaw for tiltinmovement about the axis of the pin, one of the side members of themovable jaw at its inner end being upwardly extended and bent laterallyto afford a thumbpiece.

.GEORGE L. CURLE.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date I Smythe Jan. 31, 1899Number

